Five ways Daniel found about the Stargate program
by LE McMurray
Summary: Five ways Daniel found about the Stargate program if he didn't go on the first mission.
1. Mom And Dad

Author's Notes:- This is my reply to the a Five Things prompt, my first attempt at answering a Five things so I'm very proud.

This hasn't been betad so all errors are mine.

Enjoy.

* * *

The day Mel had his heart attack Claire knew that they had to change everything about their lives. She was just grateful that it had happened while they were visiting Danny for his birthday and not in the middle of the desert – instead it was the middle of dessert.

Claire would never forget the sound of Sarah's voice as she asked if Mel was alright just before he collapsed nor the fear in Danny's as he called for an ambulance. Once Mel had recovered enough that he could return to work they'd accepted teaching positions in California. They'd turned down Chicago because they didn't want to crowd their son, as much as Claire would love to be much closer to him.

It took them a long time to settle into being lecturers instead of out in the middle of the sand finding pieces of the past and Claire could see her husband was becoming more and more down as the weeks passed. Then came the day a strange woman appeared from nowhere in the office they shared on Campus offering them a job, a job that was shrouded in secrecy but neither could resist what the woman who introduced herself as Catherine dangled in front of them.

Claire found herself in awe of the Stargate every time she watched it open as the military teams travelled from planet to planet. They'd been working here for almost a year now and George kept reminding them that they had to whittle down the list of potential people to work in their department – every few days the hint of how brilliant their son was would somehow work its way into their conversation but Claire was reluctant to bring Danny into somewhere that had proven to be so dangerous.

Then again now was the best time as he and Sarah had decided to break up – again. Claire always secretly hoped they would split for good - it wasn't that she didn't like Sarah, she did. Sarah was good for Danny making sure he didn't spend all his time hidden in his books but in all honesty Claire could never imagine Danny and Sarah getting married and having a family.

When Jack O'Neill arrived back from his latest mission he brought back pictures that had Claire and Mel standing in George's office practically begging him to allow them to go through the Stargate. After several impassioned pleas he finally gave in allowing Claire and Mel to travel to the planet named Abydos.

As soon as they stepped out from the event horizon the Chief Elder, Kasuf greeted them before introducing them to his daughter. The moment Claire met Sha're she knew that they had to let their son into the secret of the Stargate – just so she could introduce the sweet, smart, sharply observant young woman who was showing them around to him.

A week later Daniel Jackson arrived at Cheyenne Mountain to be greeted by his parents and was introduced to the Stargate, his first mission a few days later was accompanying his parents to Abydos where he was introduced to Sha're by his smiling mother.


	2. Accidental Job Offers

Daniel has spent several months wishing he'd taken up the offer from the strange woman who appeared after the speech that ended his archaeological career. In desperation he'd returned to Egypt in the hopes he could get some work on a dig remote enough not to have heard about his lecture. However he got no further than Cairo Airport. One of the security guards was trying to explain to a French couple that their flight had been delayed but neither party spoke even a fragment of the other's language. Daniel stepped in and translated receiving thanks from both and a job offer from the American Embassy as a translator.

Daniel enjoyed his job because he was able to travel the world and had time to study several more languages to add to his repertoire as well as keep up to date on what was happening in the archaeological world – though it appeared to be very little other than the same stagnant discoveries.

When his boss Adam was called to the White House Daniel had been dragged along as they were leaving the country a few hours after the meeting. While Adam was having his meeting Daniel was allowed to wait in the office of the Chief Of Staff. As Daniel wandered around studying the books he came across a picture of a stone tablet. Automatically he translated it, jumping as it was grabbed from the desk in front of him.

Suddenly he found himself standing in the middle of the Oval Office with the President studying the scribbles Daniel had absently made while looking at the picture. His stomach started to twist as he was escorted from the room to a car, then to the airport – the only explanation he got was his expertise was needed.

Daniel stared at the large ring in front of him as he barely listened to Carter, he was almost sure that was her name, explain everything to him.

"So," she said to him, "Are you interested?"

Daniel turned to her, incredulity covering his face at the fact he'd been right all this time and the proof was in front of him. Unable to do anything else, he nodded.


	3. Osiris

Daniel let out a long sigh as he studied the canopic jar sitting on the bench in front of him. Jordan kept reminding them that they only had these artefacts for another few weeks and they had to get as much from them as possible.

That was the reason Daniel was sitting here at six in the morning already on his second cup of coffee.

He would never know how it happened but one moment the jar was sitting on the bench the next it smashed on the floor and Daniel's body was no longer his to control.

The thing inside him sensed what it called _Chappa-aii_, which Daniel trapped within his own head translated as Stargate.

He was helpless as Osiris took his body to Colorado and attempted to get into the military base the Stargate was being kept. Daniel desperately tried to stop his captor as he shot two men but Osiris was too strong. He simply laughed before reminding Daniel and the two injured men that he was their God and would not be stopped from reaching his goal.

"Yeah, right," a sarcastic voice from behind them made Osiris spin.

As Osiris raised the gun to shoot the man, Daniel felt pain explode in his chest. Daniel felt Osiris cursing the man who had fired the shot that had seared his skin.

"Hey," the man said to Daniel after he called for a medic, "Hang in there."

Daniel stared into the dark brown eyes of the man, "Thank you," he breathed as blackness filled his vision.

Daniel woke up several days later to a non-disclosure form which he signed before he even thought it through. After he explained to the General in charge how he'd been taken over by the creature he learned was called a Goa'uld Daniel was introduced properly to the man who saved his life – Colonel Jack O'Neill.

And then he found out what the Stargate was – a few weeks later when he was released from the infirmary he started his new job as part of the archaeology and linguistics departments.


	4. JJ Cooper

The day Daniel met JJ Cooper had seemed to be like any other for him. As usual on his way to work he stopped off at the coffee shop for his morning latte when a woman banged into the side of his wheelchair.

"I'm so sorry," she apologised wincing.

"It's okay," Daniel replied quickly, not wanting to see any sort of pity as he usually saw whenever he talked to a stranger.

The woman shook her head looking down at him, "I was a million miles away. Hey," her change of tack threw Daniel, "You have Robert's book."

Daniel glanced down to his lap where his old friend, Robert Rothman's book sat, "You know Robert?"

She nodded and motioned him over to a chair so they could talk out of the way of everyone, "I worked with him a few years ago."

"I'm Daniel Jackson," he introduced himself.

"JJ Cooper," she reciprocated with a smile.

Daniel sat in the car watching the scenery fly by wondering what he'd got himself into but in all honesty it was too good an opportunity to pass up. He'd called Robert after JJ had offered him the job, Robert had been ecstatic especially as they hadn't worked together in such a long time and assured him that what JJ couldn't tell him just yet was worth it.

It wasn't long until he was sitting in a room with a large window that was covered and nothing more than a long conference table.

"Sorry I'm late," JJ apologised as she appeared, "It's my brother's birthday and I lost track of time. Mer can talk, especially where my niece is concerned."

"No problem," Daniel told her, "So why am I here?"

A smirk covered JJ's lips and she pressed a button, the covering across the window slowly started to move and Daniel stared at the large ring sitting in the room below - mostly staring at the people emerging from the blue puddle of water sitting in the centre of it.

"That's the Stargate," JJ explained, "But that's not why you're here."

"Why am I here?" Daniel asked, still caught up in the scenes below them.

JJ waited until he was looking at her before she smiled again, "I need your help, to find Atlantis."


	5. Dr Samantha Carter

Sam studied the file in front of her on Dr Daniel Jackson as they tried to track down his whereabouts. In the alternate universe where she met herself (in the military) and another version of her dead husband, she'd met the archaeologist. Sam had been surprised how much he was respected by that version of the SGC.

Catherine had suggested that they ask him for help back when they were first trying to get the gate open but Sam hadn't thought he was a good option and talked her out of it. She was regretting the decision now as it appeared he managed to open the Gate a year before Sam had. And he had found a way to stop the Goa'uld attack on Earth.

So now that everything had settled down after the Asgard had helped them Sam had decided to track down the man in this universe. He had been in the middle of the desert when the attack happened but was now in Chicago which where Sam was now.

Taking a deep breath she knocked on the door to his office a little surprised as a woman opened the door.

"Yes?"

"I'm looking for Dr Daniel Jackson," Sam stated, "I was told he was here."

"Come on in," the other woman said moving back to allow Sam through the door, "Genius boy is in his office finishing grading the papers he should have graded last week."

"I heard that," a man called from within the office before he appeared in the room, "Rochelle, who is it?"

"Dr Jackson," Sam smiled, he looked almost exactly the same except his hair was longer, "I'm Dr Carter. Can we speak in private?"

"No problem," Rochelle said grabbing her bag, "I'm going for lunch anyway. Daniel, don't forget to finish those papers."

Daniel rolled his eyes, waiting until she'd left the room before he turned to Sam, "Her job description is assistant but she more or less runs our lives. What can I do for you, Dr Carter?"

"You're aware of the ships that appeared in the sky several months ago?" Sam asked.

Daniel let out a snort of laughter, "Who isn't?"

"Have you heard anything else?"

"Are you talking about the whispers that the government knew about these 'aliens'?" Daniel asked, amusement creeping into his voice, "Or that another group of aliens got rid of them?"

"Both," Sam replied, she leaned against the desk, "And they're both true."

Daniel raised an eyebrow, "Why are you here? I know I'm seen as a nut after the lecture I gave but one, I never mentioned aliens and two, I have no idea what kind of skills I have that you could use."

Sam shrugged, "To be honest neither am I. But you come highly recommended and at the moment we need all the help we can get. I'm here to offer you a job, if you want it."

Daniel frowned at her, "Job?"

Two weeks later Daniel stood staring at the Stargate, he turned to the woman standing at his side, "I think I want the job."


End file.
